MobileDev: Magic Potions (MIDLet Pascal)

[cairnswm]

Well I think this is PGD's first Cell Phone Game!!

The new Artist that I am working with and I have just finished version 1 of Magic Potions, a simple Puzzle Game.

The game was developed using MidLet pascal. This version is released as Freeware.

While this game works fine in the Emulator it does not work on my Motorola MPX200 (A windows smartphone with a JVM installed). I would really like some feedback on it about other Phones.

http://www.cairnsgames.co.za/files/title.jpg

http://www.cairnsgames.co.za/files/playing.jpg

The address to load the game from is:

http://www.cairnsgames.co.za/files/magicpotions.jar

[savage]

Cool little game, though I almost lost my eye sight playing it. The vials are way too small. I think it would do well as commercial game as it is simple to pick up and play, but hard to master, which I think are great criteria for a mobile game.

Keep up the good work. I'll try to post a news item about it in the next day or so.

[cairnswm]

Damn I wish it worked on my Phone!!! Time for a new phone me thinks!!

I know about the small images - but I wanted it 10x10 otherwise the game doesn;t work so well - and the Nokia 40 series use a 128x128 screen which is the most common phone.

I'll look into different models etc later. Its back to the PGD contest entry now.

[Paulius]

Theres a bug here - cleared area still gives points.
Alignments looks broken on Siemens CX75, score counter goes on top of potion area and instruction text doesn?¢_Tt wrap.

I think it would do well as commercial game as it is simple to pick up and play, but hard to master, which I think are great criteria for a mobile game.
I think you need more than a repeat of classic same game with balls exchanged with potions for a game to sell.

[savage]

I think you need more than a repeat of classic same game with balls exchanged with potions for a game to sell.

I think you'd be surprised. It may not sell as well as HL2, but I bet it would sell. Hollywood has been getting away with repackaging old stuff for years.

[LP]

I agree with Savage. For instance, Warlords 2 (http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&q=%22warlords+2%22&btnG=Search) by SSG which is quite old (ran on MS-DOS) has been re-released for PocketPC as Warlords II - Pocket PC Edition (http://www.ppcstudios.com/warlords2prod.shtml) and it seems to be selling well. In fact, I've tried the demo and even though the interface design is not so good, the game is as entertaining as it was on PC.

[Jimmy Valavanis]

I repeatedly tried to download MIDletPascal but I didn't succeed..

[cairnswm]

The plan is for this version to be free. We will not be selling it.

We have a number of power ups and special effects planned for version 2 - for after PGD contest.

Thanks for the feedback.

[EugenioEnko]

Preaty good.
It will be more adictive if you put some SFX :P

[savage]

I was going to ask, has anyone tried adding sound yet?

I found out that the emulator does not like it if I embed a record within a record. ie it does not like...


type
TGun = record;
x, y : integer;
end;

TPlayer = record
x, y : integer;
gun : TGun;
end;


The emulator just blows up for me if I try that.

PS. Just posted a news item about all the MIDletPascal activity.

[EugenioEnko]

Excellente, reading the news right now.

[cairnswm]

I know enough about CellPhone dev to know that sound stuff isn;t easy to get right. This is the level where you start custom developing per phone type.

[savage]

While this game works fine in the Emulator it does not work on my Motorola MPX200 (A windows smartphone with a JVM installed).

That's Windows for you, always messing with Java's implementation. I bet it runs .NET apps flawlessly.

[LP]

That's Windows for you, always messing with Java's implementation. I bet it runs .NET apps flawlessly.
I'd reformulate this as "poor Java implementation for Windows Mobile". ;)
Seriously, don't you think it's illogical for OS to "look for specific applications and mess them up"? :)

[savage]

It was a joke, but Microsoft have been known to put code in their OS to make rival products run slower. Real Audio is one example, not that RA need much help anyway.

[savage]

Is it too late to submit enhancements for after the competition?

In the latest version the score is displayed in 2 places. At the bottom of the screen and also about 10-20 pixels from the top behind some vials. After you have matched up a few vials you then have a half obscured score behind some of the tiles/vials.

[cairnswm]

It was done on purpose. Due to the bottom score value only being displayed on some phones.

[savage]

But if you do DrawText('Score', SomeXvalue, screenHeight - 10 ) for example if should appear on the bottom of almost all screens.

Sure it may obscure some really really small screen, but the majority should be fine.

[cairnswm]

I know that one - but then it overrights the tiles. Maybe some more thought is needed for this one :)